Improvement in rotary engines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. A. TOWER.

ROTARY-ENGINE. No.173.349. Patented. June 6,1876.

WITNESSES I INVEJV'TOR colw m b 1 5" 9 5 Wl/ W ueyyum 0 3201-1191 N. PETERS. PHOTO LITHOGRAPHER, WASHMGTON. D C.

z Sheets-Sheet2'." C. A. TOWER.

ROTARY-ENGINE. No.178,34*9. Patented June 6,1876

WITNESSES I N V'EJV' TOR NPETERS, PHOTGLH'HQGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIE.

O. ARTHUR TOWER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN ROTARY ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [78,349, dated June 6, 1876; application filed March 29, 1876.

Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in rotary engines, applicable, also, for pumps and for-air-fans, but designed more especially for rotary steam-engines.

My invention consists of a cylinder with a conical inner head and stationary piston, all attached rigidly to a drive-shaft, in combination with a plain disk in the said cylinder, attached rigidly to an incline shaft, so as in rotating it shall have always a radial bearing against the conical head, and provided with a slot, through which the stationary piston operates, the whole inclosed by and revolving withinasteam-druin, into which steam is admitted, and from thence into the cylinder, from which it is exhausted, substantially as V hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of my rotary engine. Fig. 2 is,a longitudinal central section through the axes of the shafts, and showing parts in elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, showing the piston in a position opposite to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an outside view of the cylinder-head, adjacent to the drive-shaft.

A is the case or drum in which the mechanism revolves. B is the drive-shaft, provided with the conical head 0, which forms the head of the cylinder D, which is rigidly attached to the conical head 0. E is a circular disk fitting within the cylinder D, and attached to the incline shaft E. The inclination of the said shaft, being of the same inclination as the conical head, causes the disk E and conical head G to have a constant bearing along the line 0.

F is the piston, rigidly attached, by bolts f or otherwise, to the cylinder D and the conical head 0. It passes through a slot in the disk which steam is admitted to the drum A.

E, which slot may be provided with a rotary packing, F, so that, as the shaft B revolves, the piston F will carry with it the disk E; and as the disk E, the conical head 0, and the cylinder D are thus revolved together, the piston F will play through the slot in the disk E, presenting the greatest surface to the steam when in the position shown in Fig. 2, and presenting no surface to the steam when in the position shown in Fig. 3.

At 1 is shown the steam-admission port, by The steam then circulates freely about the drum, and passes into the cylinder through the valve 2. It drives the piston-head forward, causing the cylinder D, and consequently the shaft B, to revolve. The exhaust steam on the other side of the piston, being confined between the piston and the line of contact 0 between the conical head 0 and the disk E, along which line there is always rolling friction, is forced out, and escapes through the exhaust-port 3, through the opening 4 in the shaft B, through the port 5 in the said shaft, out through the opening 6, through the packing-ring 7, and, finally, out through the port 8, as indicated by the arrows.

Just at the instant that the'valve 2 is carried around so as to be on the line of contact 0 there will be a dead-point; but the cylinder, the disk, and conical head will always have sufficient impetus to carry the mechanism by the dead-point, when it will immediately take steam again, and the resultant power will increase until the piston presents its full surface, as SlluWIl in Fig. 2, and will then gradually decrease until there is no surface presented, as shown in Fig. 3.

' It will be observed that the steam-port 2, traveling with the cylinder, and consequently with the conical head and the piston, will always have the same relation to the piston F; and in order that there may be no dead-point, and that the force exerted to revolve the shaft B may always remain constant, or nearly so, it is only necessary to have two pistons, with their corresponding ports 2, instead of one such piston and port.

7 is a collar, which is packed at 9 andlO, and has openings for the free egress of exhaust steam. 11 is a packing-ring, surrounding the periphery of the disk E. and bearing upon the inner surface of the cylinder D.

It is apparent that, to insert the disk E within the cylinder D, there should be means provided for reducing the diameter of the disk E at some point. For this purpose a small segment of its edge may be made removable.

Since there always is an exhaust from the interior of the cylinder, it is apparent that when the steam is in the drum or case A it will exert a pressure upon the outside of the conical head 0 and the outside of the disk E greater than the outward pressure from within. Consequently the disk E and the conical head 0 will always be forced together strongly along the line 0, thereby always insuring a tight joint along this line when the machine is in operation. It will be noticed that the friction between the periphery of the disk E and the surface of the cylinder will be very. slight. It will only be a lateral slidingfriction,

since the disk E and cylinder D revolve together, and consequently react but slightly against the shaft B. I am aware that an engine has been made with a similar conical head, 0, and a similar disk, E, and with a piston, F, rigidly attached to the conical head, and all three made to revolve within a stationary cylinder, D, through which the valves were made; but in that case great friction was necessarily offered by the rotation of the conical head and of the disk E within and against the cylinder D. Moreover, the steam was always acting to open the joint 0, instead of to keep it constantly packed, as in my device.

The operation of this device is very simple: Steam is admitted through the port 1 it circulates freely around the cylinderD and disk E, and presses the disk E and conical head 0 together; it enters the port 2, and operates upon the piston I it is exhausted through the exhaust-port 3, and follows the course 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and escapes from the outlet-port 8. The collar 7, being packed thoroughly at 9 and 10, prevents any escape of steam at this point. This device may be adapted for pumping water, or .as a fan, the operation being precisely the same. So, also, as seen in Fig. 4, G may be a slide-valve, operating over the three ports 2 and 3-the two ports 2 being supply-ports, and the port 3 being the exhaustport. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for causing this valve to slide at proper intervals to regulate the supply and cut-off of 1. The rotary engine consisting of the drum 3 A, provided with inlet and exit ports 1 8, the shaft B, to which is rigidly attached the conical head 0, cylinder D, and the piston F, together with the inlet-ports 2 and the exitports 3, 4, 5, &c., or their equivalents, and theincline slotted disk E, turning upon a shaft, E, substantially as and for the purpose described. v

v2. The combination of shaft B,-carrying with it the conical head 0, cylinder D, and piston F, and the slotted disk E, turningupon the inclined shaft E, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the conical head G, the cylinder D, and inclined disk E, of the steam-space in the drum A, whereby the steam presses the surfaces together along the line 13, substantially as and for the purpose shown.-

4.. The combination, with the conical head 0 and shaft B, of the exit-ports 3, 4, 5, &c., through the said shaft B, substantially asset forth.

-5. The combination, with the drum A and the hollow shaft B, through which steam is exhausted, of the ring 7, packed at 9 and 10, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the conical disk 0 and shaft B, formed with a steam-passage leading from the face of the disk to openings 6 in the shaft, of a perforated packing ring or collar and the'cylinder-head, the latter constructed with port 8, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

0. ARTHUR TOWER. Witnesses:

FRANCIS TOUMEY, JAMESP. WALSH. 

